Scythe.



PATENTED Nov. 10, 1903.

' S. S. ELDER.

SCYTHE. APPLIVQATION I'm-n1) SEPT 4, 1903.

v 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H0 MODEL.

1 ,JZLDER;

No. 743,832. PATENTBD NOV. 10, 1903.

I s, s. ELDER. r

SCYTHE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1903- N0 MODEL. 2lSHEETS-SHEET 2.

Samvzz 5E1; BER.

Patented November 10, 1903.

PATENT ()FEIcE.

SAMUEL s. ELDER, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

' SCYTHE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1110. 743,842, dated November 10, 1903.

Application filed September 4, 1903. Serial No. 171,934. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. ELDER, a citizen of the United States,residin g at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scythes, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use my said invention.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a scythe provided with a blade'having a serrated cutting edge and a rigid back, said blade being so constructed and arranged that it may be conveniently adjusted and firmly secured on the snath, to provide a ferrule of improved construction adapted to prevent splitting of the end of the snath and also adapted to serve as a securing device for se curing the blade on the snath. w

With this end in view my invention consists in the novel features of construction and combinations of parts shown in the annexed drawings, to which reference is. hereby made, and hereinafter particularly de-' scribed and finally recited in the claim;

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial top plan of the blade. Fig. iis an enlarged partial bottom plan of the blade. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section on the line 6 (3 of Fig. 3.

Similar reference letters designate like parts in all of the views.

The snath A is of the usual form, and its under side is flattened, so that the shank of the blade will lie against the fiat part of the snath.

The blade B has serrations b'alon'g its cutting edge extending part way of the width of the blade and extending around the juncture of the blade with its shank. It alsohas an integral shank b, pierced by a hole 6 to receive the bolt 0, which connects the shank with the snath. The blade also has a segmental slot 13 The side walls I) of the slot b are chamfered, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the chamfered head eof the bolt E will press firmly against the edge of the slot and the surface of the head of the bolt will be flush with the under surface of the blade.

On each side of the slot 11 are corrugations b pressed in the metal of the blade, which engage with similar corrugations on the under side of the ferrule, as hereinafter described.

The back of the blade is strengthened by a rib b pressed up from the metal of the blade. I

The edges of the shank are strengthened byintegral ribs b The ferrule D is of metal and in contour conforms to the outer surface of the snath. The under side of the ferrule is flat and has corrugations (1, matching the corrugations b on the blade.

A bolt E extends though the slot 32 in the blade, through the snath, and through the ferrule D.

A bolt 0 extends through the hole b in the shank of the blade and through the snath and forms a pivot on which the shank turns.

The side walls of the slot 19 are arcs of circles having the center of the hole 5 as a common center.

When the nut on the bolt E is loosened, the blade may turn on the pivotal bolt 0 until it assumes the desired position within the scope of its adjustment.

When the blade is in the desired position, the nut on the bolt E may be tightened, so as to cause the corrugations on the'blade to engage with the corrugations on the ferrule and securely connect the blade with the snath.

The serrations on the edge of the blade ma= terially improve its cutting qualities, and in order that they may be effective in whatever position the blade is adjusted I, make the juncture of the shank and the heel of the blade substantially of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The juncture of the shank is curved, as shown, and the serrations extend around this curve, so that no matter what the adjustment of the blade may be the serrated part of the blade next to the snath always extends beyond the snath in position for effective operation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the blade and its shank, the strengthening-rib on the blade, the corrugations on the blade, and

the strengthening-ribs on the shank are all one integral structure pressed from a single sheet of metal. This construction permits the use of thin sheets of steel of superior quality in making the blade and gives the body of the blade and shank great rigidity.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Ablade embracing in a single integral structure, a body portion having along its back a strengthening-rib, a shank pierced by a hole and having on its under side strengtheningribs, the juncture of the shank with the body of the blade being curved, said blade also having serrations extending along the body portion and along the juncture of the shank with the body portion; also having a segmental slot and corrugations adjacent to said slot; in combination with a snath, a bolt pivotally connecting the shank with the snath, a ferrule on the snath having corrugations matching the corrugations on the blade, and a bolt passing through the slot, the snath, and the ferrule, as set forth.

'In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed. my name this 12th day of August,1903.

SAMUEL S. ELDER.

Witnesses:

IDA I. FEENEY, MAY F. RYAN. 

